Netflix's gripping limited series 'His & Hers', starring Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal, has captivated audiences and secured the top spot on the platform's charts. However, fans of Alice Feeney's bestselling 2020 psychological thriller will notice the adaptation takes several creative detours.
The six-episode show, which debuted in January 2026, follows estranged spouses Anna and Jack. Thompson plays a news anchor, while Bernthal is a detective, both drawn into a murder investigation in their Georgia hometown, each suspecting the other. While the core premise remains, significant alterations to character arcs and plot mechanics create a distinct viewing experience from the reading one.
Character Motivations and Workplace Dynamics
One of the first notable changes concerns Anna's professional life. In the Netflix version, Anna returns to her Atlanta news station after a year-long hiatus following her daughter's death, demanding her old prime-time slot. She finds it tentatively filled by rising star Lexy Jones (Rebecca Rittenhouse). Anna then volunteers to report on the murder from her hometown, paired with Lexy's cameraman husband, Richard (Pablo Schreiber).
The novel handles this differently. Anna's rival is named Cat Jones, and Anna had been covering Cat's maternity leave. Upon Cat's return, it is Cat who slyly suggests Anna cover the murder story. In both versions, this colleague is secretly Catherine, a figure from a traumatic event on Anna's 16th birthday, but their introductory dynamic is reshaped for the screen.
Shifting Suspects and Narrative Reliability
The pool of potential killers is altered in the adaptation. In Feeney's book, Rachel's elderly, bedridden husband is swiftly ruled out due to his frail health. The series, however, reimagines the widower, Clyde (Chris Bauer), as younger and physically capable, deliberately placing him under suspicion.
Perhaps the most crucial divergence is Anna's relationship with alcohol. The book meticulously paints Anna as an unreliable narrator struggling with alcoholism and blackouts, leading readers to question her every memory. This ambiguity fuels the central mystery, making the audience wonder if she could be the killer.
The television adaptation significantly downplays this trait. While Anna is shown drinking, it is not portrayed as a debilitating addiction. Consequently, when the final twist arrives, she is of clear mind, removing the layer of doubt about her own perceptions that is so pivotal in the novel.
A Streamlined Climax and Altered Confession
The finale undergoes substantial changes. The book's climax is a chaotic, gory sequence at Cat's parents' lake house involving multiple confrontations, fake deaths, and a car chase. Anna's mother, Alice (Crystal R. Fox), is present and is stabbed, while Cat is ultimately shot by Detective Priya (Sunita Mani).
The series streamlines this confrontation. The action is condensed primarily to the lake house, with Anna facing off directly against Lexy. Richard is locked in a basement and survives to be arrested. Notably, Alice is absent from the final showdown entirely.
This leads to the jaw-dropping confession. In both versions, Anna's mother, Alice, is revealed as the killer. However, her motives differ. In the show, Alice confesses via a letter, stating she began her killing spree after discovering old footage of Anna being raped on her 16th birthday.
The novel's ending is more layered. In that version, it was Cat who was raped. Alice, believing her daughter Anna fled town due to guilt for not intervening, blamed Rachel and the others. She killed them to exact revenge on Anna's behalf and frame Cat for the murders.
These adaptations, from Anna's demotion to the killer's ultimate motivation, demonstrate how Netflix reshaped Feeney's complex narrative for a visual medium. While the core thriller remains, the journey to the truth offers new twists even for dedicated book fans. 'His & Hers' is available to stream globally on Netflix.
